Vehicle Research

Ford Launches F-Max Tractor for Global Markets

Ford Trucks launched an all-new tractor for global markets called the F-Max, a heavy commercial truck designed for comfort, power, and efficiency.

The F-Max was designed and tested by Ford Otosan, a Turkey-based manufacturer that is partially owned by Ford Motor Company. Over a five-year period, the truck was tested in 11 countries on four continents covering over 3.1 million miles. The truck debuted at the IAA Commercial Vehicles show in Hannover, Germany, and took home the International Truck of the Year Award.

“We developed our new tractor with Ford’s principles of comfort, power, efficiency and technology at its heart,” said Haydar Yenigün, CEO of Ford Otosan. “To ensure that the design guarantees the most, in terms of efficiency and practicality, we examined every part and every detail over and over again.”

A sense of spaciousness was key to the design of F-Max’s cabin, according to Ford. It features a cockpit-style dashboard to ensure that all functions are within easy reach of the driver. The cabover design, which is no longer common in the U.S. for Class 8 trucks, features a sleeper cab with plentiful storage compartments and a foldable upper bed, aiming for a comfortable environment for drivers.

Ford also touted its engine with 492 hp and 1843 lbs.-ft. of torque (converted from metric horsepower and newton meters) coupled to a 12-speed ZF automated transmission.

After a record-breaking year for truck manufacturing in 2018, global truck maker Daimler Trucks expects to see some moderation in overall economic growth in the U.S. through the second half of the year, along with a corresponding normalization in commercial vehicle sales figures.

Ford Motor Co. and Volkswagen AG have formed a global alliance to share costs and improve efficiency in the development of commercial midsize pickups and vans for various global markets, including the U.S.